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' (No ModeL) P. D. HORTON.

, INKSTAND. No. 495,459. Patented Apr. 11, 1893.

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r i ,9 i 1 A UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICEQ PETER D. HORTON, OF OAKLAND,CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO SILAS R. OSGOOD AND ERNEST J. OSGOOD,OF SAME PLACE.

INKSTAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,459, dated April11, 1893.

Application filed July 2'7, 1892- Serial No. 4411404- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, PETER D. HORTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented a new and useful Improvement in lnkstands, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Myinvention relates especially to ink-stands forholding inks of allkinds employed in writ.- ing and has for its object the production of adevice wherein the ink is pumped from a fountain or reservoir byatmospheric pressure to an ink-well for use, and the surplus from theink-well is drawn back again into the fountain at will and thus the inkis preserved in a fresh state for a long period of time. I accomplishthis object by means of the device illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings which form part of this specification and in whichz- Figure lis an elevation of my improved ink stand. Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssection of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section in detail of the plug.Fig. 4 is a section taken through the compressor or cap. Figs. 5 and 6are views of the ink-well in vertical section.

A is a fountain or reservoir of myink-stand constructed preferably offlint-glass having an opening in the top as at B. Within the opening Bis placed a hollow cylinder which forms the ink-well B with one side ofthe shell perforated from end to end as at C; and a hole D made from theinterior of the shell connects at a right angle with the passage 0, andas the ink from the fountain is forced up the vertical passage it willpass out through the hole D into the ink-well.

The means which I employ for pumping the ink from the fountain to theink-well consists in a shouldered plug E which is piped and fits into anopening in the top of the reservoir; over the top of the plug isstretched a flexible compressor or cap F perforated at the top or upperend and the connection of the cap with the plug above the shoulder issuch as to be air-tight so that when pressure is given to the cap theair contained in the space or chamber above the plug will be forced intothe reservoir above the fluid and cause the ink to ascendthe verticalpassage and out through the intersecting hole or opening into theink-well. The volume of ink however is governed by the volume of aircontained in the compressor or cap that is pumped into the reservoir,and in no case will the ink over-flow the top of the ink-well, as whenthe pressu re is removed from the compressor the surplus of ink, if any,will flow back into the fountain through the over-flow opening thatconnects with the vertical pip- 6o ing and the ink will always assumeits level on the plane established by the intersecting hole orover-flow. When the lower edge of the compressor is pressed down closeto the top or cover of the fountain, quantity of ink can be pumped intothe well at one stroke, but by successive strokes of the finger thevolume can be increased but not to the over-flowing of the well as thebackward flow through the pipe will be as great as the in-flow betweenthe strokes made by the finger and thus an equilibrium is maintained ofthe fluid in the well.

In order to prevent the pen-holder and only a small 65 shank of the penfrom becoming fouled a movable bottom G composed of cork or rubber isset in the well a sufficient depth to limit the dip of the pen, and onthe top of this is placed a removable diaphragm G which being flexiblewill not injure or dull 8o the point of the pen and when sedimentsettles upon the face it can be quickly removed for cleaning and easilyreplaced in the well.

Heretofore in atmosphericinkstands great difficulty has been had incontrolling the'flow of air to the fountain and especially in preventingthe ink from over-flowing the inkwell, but under no such conditions canmy ink-stand be over-flowed and the ink will always be as fresh as whentaken from the bot- 9o tle as the fountain itself is a reservoir whichwill not be affected by climatic change and which need not bereplenished for a long period of time.

A temporary inflexible cap H is placed over 5 the ink-well to keep outthe dust, but when the ink-stand is laid aside for any length of time acork may be used and the inflexible cap be placed over the flexible capand thus both air and dust be excluded.

IOO

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is I 1. In an ink-stand, the combination witha fountain, an ink well therein having aclosed bottom and an open upperend extending above the fountain, a vertical pipein the wallofthewellcommunicatingatitslower-endwith theinteriorof the fountainandatits upperend with the air, andaholeleadingfrom said pipe into thewell above the normal height of the ink therein; ofa vertically pipedplug removably seated in the top of the fountain, and a movable flexiblecap covering the plug and having a domed upper end with an air vent inits top, substantially as described.

2. In an ink stand, the combination with a fountain, an ink well thereinhaving aclosed bottom and an open upper end extending above thefountain, a vertical pipe in the wall of the well communicating at itslower end with the interior of the fountain and at its upper end withthe air, and a hole leading from said pipe into the Well above thenormal height of the ink therein; of a compressor to cause the ink torise in said pipe by the compression of air within the fountain,substantially as described.

3. In an ink stand, the combination with a fountain, an ink well thereinhaving an open; upper end extending above the fountain, a bottomconsisting of a disk fitting friction-, ally within the well and havingaflexible upper surface, a vertical pipe in the wall of the? wellcommunicating at its lower end with the} interior of the fountain and atits upper end with the air, and ahole leading from said pipe into thewell above the normal height of the ink therein; of a vertically pipedplug removably seated in the top of the fountain, and a flexible capremovably covering the plug and having a domed upper end with an airvent therein, substantially as described.

4. In an ink stand, the combination with a fountain, a cylindrical inkwell therein having an open upper end extending above the fountain, abottom consisting of a disk fitting frictionally within the well andhaving a flexible upper surface, a vertical pipe in the wall of the wellcommunicating at its lower end withthe interior of the fountain and atits upper end with the air, and a hole leading from said pipe into thewell above the normal height of the ink therein; of a compressor tocausethe ink to rise in said pipe by the compression of the air within thefountain, substantially as described.

5. In an ink stand, the combination with a fountain, a Well supportedthereby and having a cylindrical interior bore, and means substantiallyas described for feeding ink from the fountain to the well; of anadjustable bottom Within the well, the same consisting of a disk fittingfrictionally in the bore thereof and having a soft upper surface, as andfor the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand andseal.

PETER D. HORTON. [L. s.] Witnesses:

OHAs. E. KELLY, C. W. M. SMITH.

